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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24789784">Is It Too Late?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittenForAKitten/pseuds/SmittenForAKitten'>SmittenForAKitten</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra needed to vent, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers, Spoilers for Season 5, takes place right after the season ends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:14:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24789784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittenForAKitten/pseuds/SmittenForAKitten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place right after Season 5. Spoilers for Season 5.<br/>\\\<br/>Was it too late? Too late to apologize and undo all the wrong doings she has done?<br/>\\\<br/>Trusting others is hard when you haven't been trusted through your whole life. A fic where Catra feels uneasy about everyone trusting her and forgetting all she's done so easily.<br/>\\\<br/>Rated for swears. tw: for emotional/psychological/mental abuse.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora &amp; Bow &amp; Catra &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora &amp; Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>83</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Is It Too Late?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm not entirely great at writing angst without something happy coming out of it, but I felt as if Catra really wouldn't feel right about everyone trusting her right away. Trusting others is hard when you haven't been trusted through your life. And having everyone forget her wrong doings right away doesn't sit right with her.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catra admits: She’s done horrible things. Horrible might even be an understatement at this point. She knows she’s well hated within the Princess Alliance, and you know, that seems just fine to her. But what’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not fine </span>
  </em>
  <span>is the fact that after Horde Prime was taken down and the war was over, it seemed like everyone was </span>
  <em>
    <span>automatically okay </span>
  </em>
  <span>with her being part of the Rebellion. She’s pretty sure that’s not how things work. She’s taken down Salieneas. She’s destroyed villages and kingdoms while under the command of Hordak and Shadow Weaver. She has kidnapped Glimmer and Bow and Adora. She’s attacked Adora. She’s attacked all the princesses. She’s done nothing but </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong things</span>
  </em>
  <span> and yet.. And yet they just seem to be her friends now? After all she’s done? Something doesn’t sit right. Even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Scorpia </span>
  </em>
  <span>forgave her, and Catra treated her like </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. How can someone forgive another person that easily? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Rebellion decides to set up camp for the evening along the way back to Bright Moon. Their intention was to get there before sunset so they could focus on resting in actual beds and not cots or sleeping bags, but everyone was exhausted and couldn’t walk as fast as some. They made it work though, and those who had the strength set up camp. Perfuma and Scorpia had gone to gather firewood. Entrapta, Not Hordak, and Glimmer were taking care of food preparations. Catra just sat up in a tree with Melog, trying not to get into anyone’s way as they set up. Didn’t seem like anyone missed her much anyway. That is, except for Adora, who came searching for her once camp was almost set up. It wasn’t even that difficult for Adora to find her either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, you were never</span>
  <em>
    <span> good</span>
  </em>
  <span> at hide-and-seek, Catra,” Adora teases, hands on her hips as she looks up at Catra. “Unless there were boxes around, that is. Come on down. Food will be ready soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra also admits: She’s a little hungry. Melog is, too. But what does Melog even </span>
  <em>
    <span>eat</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Or is Melog even hungry? She’s probably just copying Catra’s emotions. Catra thinks about coming down, but if she doesn’t, she knows Adora will either come up there or not leave her. She’d rather not have Adora climb up a tree. She’s still sore and tired from turning into She-ra and saving everyone. She’d rather not have Adora risk herself for her. Even though she did that </span>
  <em>
    <span>plenty of times</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but now? No. She’s not allowing that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I smell those buns that they made in space,” Adora tries to coax her into coming down. She knows Catra likes those. “Amongst other things. It’d be nice to get some good food in you after today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really hungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that’s not true. Besides, I’m sure everyone wants to get to know you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Get to know her? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get to know her</span>
  </em>
  <span>? What was there to know? Catra was bad and then turned good what seemed to be in a blink of an eye. Was she really on everyone’s side at this point or was Adora trying to make her feel better? Catra bites down on her lower lip. She doesn’t think this is right. She shouldn’t be joining them. But if she doesn’t, she’s just distancing herself, and letting her thoughts win. She just knows everyone hates her though. They don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have to </span>
  </em>
  <span>like her, so why would they act like they do? It’s not right. It’s just fake smiles and laughter. She even doubts that they are actually interested in her as a person. Not a member of the Horde, but a </span>
  <em>
    <span>person</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her stomach growls. Okay, maybe she </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>hungry. Huffing, she jumps down from the tree with Melog following. Adora watches, standing right in front of her with a small on her face. She even holds out her hand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Her hand</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And Catra grabs it as Adora guides her back to camp. Food was ready to be served not too much longer than that, and Adora was right: they did make those weird bun things again. Catra didn’t want to hoard them all, so of course she just takes one, even though there was still plenty to share. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>During food, there’s numerous conversations happening. Stories are being shared all around and everyone is taking turns sharing their own as an attempt for everyone to get to know each other better. The fire is warm and blazing brightly, twigs and branches cracking underneath the flames. Catra can’t help but stare at it instead of paying attention to the conversations happening. Sounds of chatter and laughing are faded out as she listens to the noises of the fire. She doesn’t even hear the noises of the night. Just.. fire. Was she just like that fire? Just a mix of twigs and branches that’ll snap at any moment when she’s boiling with rage? Even now, each snap and crack coming from that fire makes her ready to snap herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it too late? Too late to apologize and undo all the wrong doings she has done?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-ra. Catra. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Catra</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Adora’s voice pulls her away from her thoughts, making her ears twitch. She can faintly hear a small ‘aw’. She doesn’t know whose voice it was that said it though. “Hey, everyone was sharing stories and they wanted us to share stories of our own. Do you want to go first or should I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does it matter? They’re all horrible memories,” Catra mutters. “Any memories of the past would just remind you guys of how much of a terrible person I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. Catra can feel the eyes on her. Shit. She probably shouldn’t have said that out loud. No. No, she should have. She has always told Adora to be honest about her feelings and emotions, so why can’t Catra do the same? She can sense the tension though from her words, and even Adora doesn’t know what to say at first until she goes to open her mouth to speak. Catra cuts her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>go saying that I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not a terrible person</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because all of you know I am,” she begins. “I did-- I did so much damage to all of you. Physical, emotional, mental. All of it. And suddenly, just because I joined this </span>
  <em>
    <span>alliance </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the Rebellion, you’re all acting as if everything is okay? It’s not. Why do all of you think it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>okay</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I’m-- I </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a Horde soldier, and just because I saved Sparkles and this idiot-” She gestures to Adora with her head. “-came for me on Horde Prime’s ship, we’re just going to ignore all the bad? Pretend that nothing happened? That’s just not right. I know you all hate me and you should </span>
  <em>
    <span>say it</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’ve heard worse. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Way worse</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..You did ruin my Princess Prom,” Frosta is the first to speak up, not beating around the bush. “I don’t know when I’ll get a second chance to host one, so the fact it was ruined hurt and made me hate you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that doesn’t mean people can’t change.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You also </span>
  <em>
    <span>diiid </span>
  </em>
  <span>take down Salineas. That’s my home. But we got it back,” Mermista adds in, twirling her hair with an index finger. “You did a lot of bad things that could be seen as inexcusable, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But!” Bow is the next one to chime in. “But, it wasn’t easy for Adora or Scorpia either. The Horde did a lot of terrible things to people, though that’s only because of how those in the Horde were </span>
  <em>
    <span>raised</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You guys were told that Princesses are dangerous and that the outside world was dangerous. You didn’t know that yourself. Anyone in the Fright Zone manipulated you guys. Sure, that doesn’t excuse your actions, but as Frost said: Doesn’t mean people can’t change.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>These aren't the answers she was looking for. She was expecting worse. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Way worse</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She still doesn’t think people are being honest about their emotions. The Fright Zone was a terrible place. Catra was emotionally, mentally, and verbally abused by Shadow Weaver the whole time. She never had any true friends in the Horde besides Adora, and Catra even wonders </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>she became friends with her in the first place. Also, even after all the wrongdoings she has done, why would Adora always come back for her? Because she cared? She shouldn’t be caring. All she did was wrong in the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I told you I was going to take you home and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Why are you acting like this? We saved your life!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I TOLD YOU not to come back. But you just like feeling like a hero, don’t you?!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’d rather I just left you there to die?!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why do you care?! I know you all hate me!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I never hated you!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s true that our time in the Fright Zone made us horrible people, and even if we came to assist the Princesses and help the Rebellion without betraying them, it doesn’t make us good people,” Scorpia speaks up, shoulders drooping. “We did a lot of good things to make up for the bad, but.. I do understand where you’re coming from, Catra. It’s hard to forgive what we’ve done so easily. Though everyone is forgiving and willing to listen.. And willing to help us do good. It’s everything that the Horde us that made us horrible people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Horde is taken down,” Adora finally speaks. “We did a lot to save the others. We took down the Horde and Horde Prime and we’re working on restoring peace throughout the world. It’s a process, but we can get through it together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fire cracks. Catra snaps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So.. what, suddenly everything is just sunshine and daisies just because we took down the Horde? Because we took down Horde Prime?” Catra’s voice is shaking with anger. “That’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> how things </span>
  <em>
    <span>work</span>
  </em>
  <span>! You didn’t even have to come back for me, Adora. I told you </span>
  <em>
    <span>not to</span>
  </em>
  <span> and you did anyway! And for what cost? You got put into danger because of me. You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>always in danger</span>
  </em>
  <span> because Shadow Weaver always wanted me to take you back and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>had to listen to her</span>
  </em>
  <span>! We were always trying to take down the Princess Alliance because we were told the princesses are horrible people and we were going to take you back. So why-- tell me </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’s suddenly okay to care about me? To say I’m friends with all you people? To converse away and act as if nothing happened?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it’s in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>past</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra!” Adora’s voice raises, and everyone goes quiet. “It’s in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>PAST</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>been like this! You’ve acted as if I never cared because Shadow Weaver saw something in me and talked </span>
  <em>
    <span>down to you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s because of Shadow Weaver that you are acting like no one cares-- but we </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>care about you</span>
  </em>
  <span>! And if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive </span>
  </em>
  <span>right now! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have any friends while I was in the Horde, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>followers</span>
  </em>
  <span> because I was growing up to be a soldier and a fighter. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And you were, too</span>
  </em>
  <span>! The Horde messed with our heads, but the important thing part of this is the fact that we </span>
  <em>
    <span>realized how fucked up </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Horde was! And we’re doing right by our actions because of the fact the Horde was </span>
  <em>
    <span>abusing us in more ways than one</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be alive right now. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Shit. Shit shit shit. Catra knows she’s right. But also, if it wasn’t for her, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this war may not have happened. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Or would it have? All the bad things that have happened, maybe it was all her fault. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>was always her fault. Shadow Weaver </span>
  <em>
    <span>said </span>
  </em>
  <span>everything was her fault. It was always her fault that Adora got hurt. Her fault Adora left the Horde. Her fault that Adora wouldn’t come back. Het fault that they kept losing against the Princesses. Everything is </span>
  <em>
    <span>her fault</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the whole point we’re sitting here, trying to make conversation so we can understand each other better,” Adora continues on. “And I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra. I know how much you kept yourself away from people because you didn’t want to get hurt, and-- and all I did was hurt you in the end. But that’s why I </span>
  <em>
    <span>came for you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There wasn’t a single time that you weren’t on my mind, Catra. I wanted to make right for my wrongdoings, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>NEVER </span>
  </em>
  <span>had to forgive me. But you did. And why did you? Did you have to? No. Because deep down, you cared about me, too. Did you have to stay with me when I was going to sacrifice myself with the fail-safe? No. I told you to leave. But you didn’t. Because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>LOVE ME</span>
  </em>
  <span> and you admitted that yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t you get it?! I love you! I always have! So please, just this once. STAY.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will it ever be okay? No, maybe not. It’ll take time. It took so much time for others to trust me when I left the Horde. When I turned into She-ra, people automatically trusted me, okay. But as Adora, I’m an </span>
  <em>
    <span>ex-Horde soldier </span>
  </em>
  <span>that did nothing but wrong things to people. I can never forgive myself for that, Catra, even though by this point, others have,” Adora can’t stop talking and it’s making Catra want to break at any moment. “Is it okay for them to treat you like we’re all friends? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe not</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but we’re trying to get through this together and trying to make things work because you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>more than an ex-Horde soldier now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra. You’re part of the Rebellion. You’re my partner. And everyone trusts you because </span>
  <em>
    <span>I trust you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They are making things work because I forgave you and they want to try to be friends with you. You just have to learn how to let people in and I know how hard that is for you. But you better not sit here and tell me that we hate you and no one cares because </span>
  <em>
    <span>we do</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra came to the Fright Zone in a cardboard box. At first, Hordak nor Shadow Weaver wanted her, but Adora did. Adora befriended her right away. But why? Because Adora can’t stand to see people alone? And because Catra came to the Fright Zone in a box, that’s proof alone that no one wanted her. But Adora wanted her. And she still doesn’t understand that. But she wants Adora, too. She has </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>wanted Adora. And it’s good to see that Adora wants her, too, but everything is just so hard. It’s just so hard for Catra to accept things as they are. It’s so hard and she doesn’t know if she’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> accept things as they are. But it’s too late to apologize for her wrongdoings, isn’t it? Would anyone even accept that apology? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could say </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry </span>
  </em>
  <span>and apologize time and time again for everything, but isn’t it too late for apologies?” Is it too late for her to make up for what she did in the past? “Because it sure as hell seems like it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Catra--” Adora goes to continue speaking, but as she gets her name out, Catra’s already running into the wood to isolate herself. Adora sighs heavily, shoulders slumping and hands going to her temples. She has a headache from this, but it’s a good thing Catra’s getting this out, she guesses? She thinks it’s good? She doesn’t know. “Ugh. I’m really sorry this is happening right now.. I’m going to go get here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, Adora? Maybe leave her be for a moment?” Scorpia tries to be the voice of reason. “I know you care about her, and want to be by her side to help her, since you’re the only one that.. Truly understands her, you know? I could never understand what she’s thinking. But maybe what’s best for her is.. For her to calm down?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..Maybe. I just hate it when she’s going through these things alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She shouldn’t have to, but she’ll come around, I think,” Glimmer fiddles with her hands, looking down at her lap. “She did do right, though, I’ll admit that. She did get me out of Horde Prime’s ship and help take him down..?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Catra’s been through a lot.. But I really should go talk to her and check on her. I don’t think she should be alone..” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Stay,” Bow tries to make it so his friend doesn’t panic over what just happened. “Let her calm down a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knows Bow is right. She knows she should leave Catra alone. It’s just the thought of leaving her alone that’s hard for her. She really doesn’t like it when Catra goes through things alone.. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>- - - -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shouldn’t have left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She really shouldn’t have left. She needed to have this conversation and yet, her emotions got to the better of her - like always - and she couldn’t even let Adora’s words get through to her. Catra’s up in a tree once again, knees pulled up to her chest, tail wrapped around her ankles as she thinks about that whole conversation. Maybe she shouldn’t have spoken up about it at all, but it would just keep eating and eating at her from the inside out until she snaps for no good reason and it would have been a lot worse than </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Catra’s breathing is shaky as she inhales and exhales quickly, trying not to burst into tears, but of course, they are falling. She wipes at her face with her arm and Melog tries to comfort her by being at her side, but it’s not helping. Nothing is helping. She can’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>go back there</span>
  </em>
  <span> because she doesn’t want to forget this conversation happened. But she knows she’ll have to go back there at some point. She has to sleep. She has to come back with them to Bright Moon. But does she even belong there?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you that you suck at hide-and-seek,” Adora’s voice is from below again, and Catra looks down for a split second. Adora’s alone. “Especially when you’re not too far from camp, either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go away, Adora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that I’ll never leave you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, you should.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora sighs. She’s not giving up. She knows she shouldn’t be climbing when she’s still sore from everything, but guess what? She’s doing it anyway. She starts climbing, her muscles yelling at her as she does. Stretching hurts. Climbing hurts. She climbs to the thick branch Catra is sitting on and Catra moves slightly to let Adora sit beside her. Even if she said Adora should leave, she doesn’t mind her company. It’s just her emotions talking. She should have just made Adora leave rather than letting her on the branch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re an idiot for climbing,” Catra says, face resting on her knees and refusing to look at Adora. “You’re going to be sore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine. It’s you that I’m worried about,” Adora doesn’t care much about her physical pain. She’s just hurting because Catra’s hurting. “You’re not okay with any of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gee, what gave that away?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Catra,” Adora will ignore her sass for now to use this time wisely to talk to her. “You’ve done so much good to make up for the bad. I know it seems like it’s so easy for them to forget, but it’s because it’s in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>past</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra. I’ve always known there was good in you, it was just the Horde and Shadow Weaver that corrupted us to make us think everything outside the Fright Zone was </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew that though</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora. I knew that they were corrupting us and that they were telling us horrible things. And yet I </span>
  <em>
    <span>stayed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I stayed and fought and attacked you and the others. I could have just joined you from the start, but I didn’t.” Catra still refuses to look at Adora as she tries not to shout at her during this conversation. “And why didn’t I? It would be so damn easy for others to trust me if I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>right from the start, wouldn’t it? But no, just because I got rescued from Horde Prime’s ship and joined the goddamn Rebellion, that instantly makes me good? I could have betrayed you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you didn’t,” Adora brings a hand up slowly and rests it on Catra’s shoulder. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>But you didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You never listened to anyone in your life, Catra. Just like Shadow Weaver and Hordak, Horde Prime was only trying to control you to be something you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And didn’t betray us because I know that you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>thankful </span>
  </em>
  <span>for having us come get you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..I never said I was--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never said you </span>
  <em>
    <span>weren’t thankful</span>
  </em>
  <span> either, but I know you enough by now to read your body language,” Adora interrupts. “When you joined us for those food buns, I could tell you were thankful to be around people you could trust. People that wouldn’t order you around. People that you could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>yourself </span>
  </em>
  <span>around. You didn’t have to say it </span>
  <em>
    <span>because I knew it</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora was right. Deep down, Catra was thankful. She told Adora not to come back, sure. She told her that Horde Prime had plans for her. Catra thought she wasn’t worth anything for all the bad things she’s done. But she did one good thing: Letting Glimmer go. She did that good thing and they all came back to </span>
  <em>
    <span>rescue her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Even though Adora’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>such an idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And Adora knows it. Adora knows she’s an idiot, but Catra bets she’d do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>for Catra. Even as kids, Adora would take the blame for things so Shadow Weaver wouldn’t abuse Catra, even though that felt like it made things worse. She didn’t need to be protected or saved. She didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>deserve</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be protected or saved. And yet, Adora tries to make her believe she’s worth something. Makes her believe that she can be trusted. Makes her believe she’s not that horrible of a person. But isn’t she?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not a horrible person, Catra,” Adora speaks up again, and Catra starts thinking that Adora can read her thoughts. “I know you’ve done bad things, but I know you for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> and not for what the Horde made you be. You could attack me at any given time. You could attack the others at any given time. You could have betrayed us several times over but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After getting out of the Fright Zone, you must have realized there was more to you than being a Horde soldier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..I guess. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>they know me </span>
  </em>
  <span>as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Horde soldier</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora. Isn’t it too late to apologize for all my wrong doings? They-- they--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ex</span>
  </em>
  <span>- Horde soldier, Catra, and no, they don’t hate </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, just the things you’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>done</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and you’ve proved to them that you want to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Adora brings her hand up to Catra’s head, fingers combing through her short hair. “And no, it’s not too late. You can apologize if you want to, but we’re not going to force it out of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really want to stay here though? You barely ate anything and you must be hungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fi--” Catra’s stomach growls in protest and she growls a little. “..I’ll come back..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both climb down from the tree with Melog following after. Adora decides to take Catra’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as they walk back to camp. Catra doesn’t pull away; she accepts her hand and gives Adora’s hand a more firmer squeeze. Although during the walk back, Catra’s staring down at the ground beneath her, her thoughts all over the place. She should apologize as soon as she gets back. She has to apologize as soon as she gets back. Especially since she just blew up at everyone just moments before. The chatter gets closer, and Adora and Catra step out of the woods to the open space where camp is. That’s when the chatter dies down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She needs to apologize</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>has to apologize</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She’s just going to come out with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Catra says silently at first, but it’s still well heard when the only noise going on is the crackling fire and the noises of the night. “I’m sorry. I know it seems it’s too late to apologize for all that I’ve done to you. I’ve hurt all of you so damn much during my times in the Horde and-- and you have no right to trust me now. Although you do, and it doesn’t sit right with me. I’m also sorry for lashing out just now. Everything is just-- everything is just not sitting with me right and it’s going to take me a while to understand everything that’s going on. It’s going to take me a while to actually realize I can be</span>
  <em>
    <span> trusted</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We forgive you,” Perfuma says. “It’s in the past, Catra, and you’ve become a better person. We’ll also be there every step of the way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it’s totally fine, Wild Cat! It’s better to talk about these things than keeping them inside,” Scorpia adds on. “So if you want to talk, we’re here for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why are they so understanding</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Why do they have to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>so understanding </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>accepting</span>
  </em>
  <span>? It shouldn’t be this easy. Yet it is. And Catra </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates </span>
  </em>
  <span>that it’s so easy. She grips Adora’s hand a little tighter, unintentionally, and even though Adora feels slight pain from it, she says nothing. Instead, her thumb grazes over Catra’s hand softly, trying to calm her down. She knows this is a lot. But they can get through this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s still a lot of food left,” Adora says. “Let’s sit down and eat, okay? We still never shared any memories from the Horde.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, what, like how you would always suck at racing me?” Catra’s going to try. She has to at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get involved with the others. “Or how you were always stubborn and never rested?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>been like that!” Bow gasps. “..You know, I’m not even surprised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we’re doing this now? Okay. Alright. What about the time that everyone was cleaning up empty boxes and instead of you breaking them down, you actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>slept in one</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Adora raises an eyebrow, a smug look on her face. “Or how you chased a mouse around the whole Fright Zone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That mouse thing was </span>
  <em>
    <span>ONE TIME</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Let it </span>
  <em>
    <span>GO</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will never.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughs are shared as Adora and Catra continue on sharing memories of one another. Catra decides that maybe she could have more food than what she thinks she deserves. She ends up eating a lot, though, to where she rests down on the ground, head against Adora’s legs, as everyone goes around the campfire chatting away. Adora mentions more things about her and Catra’s past as she strokes Catra’s hair, earning soft purrs from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was never too late to apologize. Maybe it was never too late to try to do good. Catra just thought it was too late because of how many bad things she has done. But.. but as long as everyone is with her every step of the way, maybe she can get to know the others. They’ll get to know her. And maybe.. Maybe Catra can start trusting more people and realize </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>can be trusted. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I tried my best with this fic. I know it's crazy long, too, but I couldn't stop because I enjoyed writing this out. I'm also trying my best adding more characters in. But this definitely needed to be done. I want Catra to be happy but I also want to see her hurting for not understanding why people trust her so easily.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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